Sunday, October 10, 2004
**********************************
“Armenians are smart.” “Armenians are tolerant.” “Armenians are progressive.” I am astonished at the ease with which some Armenians spout similar clichés that are motivated more by self-flattery and less by objective judgment. Speaking for myself: when it comes to my fellow Armenians, I have more questions than answers, questions such as: “If suffering ennobles, why is it that we have among as such preponderance of loud-mouth charlatans who feel more at home in the gutter?”
*
In his latest novel, THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA, Philip Roth writes that he grew up “with a definition of the Jew as an object of ridicule, disgust, scorn, contempt, derision, of every heinous form of persecution and brutality.” This might as well be how an Armenian writer feels among his “smart, tolerant, and progressive” fellow Armenians.
*
Between a short sentence and a long paragraph, sermonizers and speechifiers will invariably choose the paragraph and the longer the paragraph, the shorter the meaning, and the greater the distance from the truth.
*
Only Armenians who have been exposed to many sermons but have not read a single book by Raffi, Zabel Yessayan, Zohrab, Shahnour, Massikian, Zarian, and many other 19th- and 20th-century writers are convinced our Church has played a central role in our survival as a nation.
*
The only way to avoid controversy is to use words with contradictory meanings. If you think this can’t be done, read James Joyce.
*
Judging by the popularity of religions and ideologies, the world seems to be populated by dupes who, when told 2+2=5, say, no, 2+2=22!
*
And speaking of our Church: I wonder, how many Armenians are familiar with Toynbee’s classification of it as a “fossil” – meaning, brain-dead.
*
I read the following in a review of a recent biography of Jorge Luis Borges: “He insisted that he was part of a universal culture and refused to be pigeon-holed as an Argentine writer, though he was that, too, of course.” I like that.
*
More about our Church. The question we should ask is: Do we believe the fellow with a full belly who speaks in the name of God, or the one who speaks for no one but his half-starving self?
#
Monday, October 11, 2004
*********************************
A routine occurrence in history: when they are underdogs, men of faith preach love, compassion and mercy; but when they are top dogs, they practice intolerance, hatred and murder.
*
On the roots of our own intolerance: after centuries of “Yes, sir!” to a long line of ruthless and alien lords and masters, we turn into control freaks among our fellow Armenians, banning, censoring, and verbally abusing anyone who refuses to say “Yes, sir!” to us.
*
If “there is a Turk in all of us,” this Turk surfaces only when we deal with fellow Armenians. Hence, the familiar phenomenon of the Armenian who is a lamb among odars and a wolf among his fellow countrymen.
*
Am I right or wrong? Frankly, I am no longer consumed with the rage to prove myself right. I know that in the eyes of those who have programmed themselves to disagree with me, I will always be wrong. I also know that I am not qualified to deprogram Armenians. Nobody is!
*
Those who disagree with me today may agree with me tomorrow. When I was young, I too disagreed with many things with which I agree today.
*
Whenever something bad happens to me, I look for the silvery lining; and whenever, on those rare occasions, I find it, it turns out to have been a mirage. Once, I remember, I even found a positive aspect in our genocide. If it weren’t for the massacres, I thought, we would now be breathing the same air as the Turks, we would be communicating in Turkish with one another, and we would be discussing such topics as the prospect of Turkey joining the EU. And needless to add, we would all be for it.
#
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
************************************
We all swim in a sea of uncertainty, doubt, and anxiety. We hunger for certainties, and when we can’t find them, we invent them; and having invented them, we defend them – sometimes unto death.
*
Since the beginning of time men have sensed the presence of an invisible and incomprehensible power which they have called god. And in their efforts to make the invisible visible, and the incomprehensible accessible, they have invented an astonishing number of stories, myths, fables, legends, dogmas, rituals, and belief systems which they have called religions. But because they have failed repeatedly to explain the mystery, or, if you wish, to lower god to their own level, they have reached contradictory conclusions. The result has been a long series of disagreements, conflicts, and sometimes even wars and massacres.
*
It has been said that, man cannot create a single worm, yet, he has created ten thousand gods.
*
Where people can think for themselves, there will be disagreement. There will be disagreement even where people cannot think for themselves because they have been conditioned not to think but to parrot someone else’s thoughts.
*
Disagreement in itself is not a problem. The real problem is how we deal with it. Do we see it as a symptom of heresy, blasphemy, or evil, or do we see it as the beginning of a dialogue that may lead to compromise and consensus, which does not mean agreement but working together — as opposed to working at cross purposes and against one another. So far, religions have failed to follow the path of dialogue and consensus by asserting a monopoly on truth and by legitimizing intolerance.
#
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
************************************
When we use the word culture we think of art, literature, and music. We forget that culture springs from an invisible source within us. It is above all an expression of how we feel and think. Ignorance, intolerance and envy are not culture but barbarism.
*
There is ignorance, intolerance and envy everywhere, of course, but they don’t set the tone and they don’t animate institutions and their policies. Only cultures or societies that are on a downward path do that.
*
In a letter to the editor in this morning’s paper I read: “God is love, yes, certainly! But God is also justice.” The question is: What kind of justice are we talking about here? An-eye-for-an-eye justice, or love-your-enemy justice?
*
Sermonizers can’t be contradicted because they speak on the authority of Scriptures that are full of contradictions.
*
There will come a time when theology and religions in general will be branches of study under psychopathology, like paranoia, schizophrenia, and mass hysteria. And churches will become museums as in Moscow, or movie theaters as in Venice.
*
I share my understanding with those who are in need for it. As for the others, they shouldn’t even waste their valuable time reading me, because I have nothing to say to people who know and understand everything. And they have nothing to say to me either for the very simple reason that once upon a time I too knew and understood everything.
#

ARMENIA: Jehovah’s Witnesses legal

Canton Repository , OH
Oct 14 2004

Thursday, October 14, 2004 YEREVAN, Armenia — Authorities in Armenia
registered the Jehovah’s Witnesses on Wednesday, allowing the religious
group to operate in the Caucasus Mountain nation after years of debate
and denial.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses first appeared in Armenia in 1988. But
the group was unable to win registration after the nation became
independent in the 1991 Soviet collapse.

Legalizing the Jehovah’s Witnesses was one of the main conditions
set out by the Council of Europe when the continent’s leading human
rights organization granted Armenia membership two years ago.

Deputy Justice Minister Tigran Mukuchian told The Associated Press
a major obstacle to registration had been members’ refusal to serve
in the military.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2004

VISIT OF CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS OF THE COUNCIL OF
EUROPE, FOREIGN MINISTER OF NORWAY IAN PETERSON TO AZERBAIJAN
[October 14, 2004, 11:58:44]

Reception in Milli Majlis

Chairman of Milli Majlis (Azerbaijan Parliament) Murtuz Alaskarov has
received Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway Ian
Peterson, now visiting Azerbaijan on October 13.

Warmly greeting the visitor, Speaker of Azerbaijan Parliament has
noted existing between Azerbaijan and Norway warm friendly links, has
especially emphasized merits of the national leader of Azerbaijan
people Heydar Aliyev in development of mutual relations. Having
informed that Norwegian Company “Statoil” and other companies have
enclosed large investments into economy of Azerbaijan, Chairman of
Parliament has expressed hope for the further development of
cooperation and increase in number of the Norwegian companies working
in our country. He has emphasized that Azerbaijan is the most
advanced country on the Southern Caucasus. Due to use of oil
resources and present development Azerbaijan is mentioned in line
with Norway.

Speaking about the obligations taken by Azerbaijan before the Council
of Europe, Murtuz Alaskarov has noted, that the majority of them has
been executed. There were some fine questions which are connected to
passage of alternative service and national minorities and which in
the near future also will find the solution.

Then speaker of Azerbaijan Parliament in detail informed on the
history and reasons of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh
conflict, the documents adopted by Security Council of the United
Nations, OSCE, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in
connection with the said conflict. He has especially emphasized that
Azerbaijan supports peace settlement of the conflict within the
framework of the norms of international law. At the same time,
Azerbaijan will not concede spans of the native lands and will
restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Having thanked for warm reception and detailed information, Ian
Peterson has noted that the Kingdom of Norway shows special interest
to development of connections with Azerbaijan. A number of the large
companies of Norway is going to enclose investments into the
Azerbaijan economy, and within the framework of visit he will carry
on negotiations on the given question.

Highly having estimated execution of obligations taken before the
Council of Europe by Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Committee of
Ministers of COE has expressed his views and the Nagorny Karabakh
problem. He has told: “Indefiniteness in this conflict till present
time causes a regret. As a competent state on such questions, the
Kingdom of Norway can render assistance. The diplomat has emphasized,
that his country supports peace, fair settlement of this problem, and
has stated that renewal by the sides negotiations imparts hopes in
settlement of the conflict.

At the meeting, also were exchanged views on other questions
representing mutual interest.

Norwegian FM: ‘CE is not capable of resolving Upper Garabagh conflict’

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2004

The Upper Garabagh conflict settlement depends on a mutual agreement
of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Norwegian Foreign Minister, chairman of the
Council of Europe’s (CE) Ministerial Committee, Ian Peterson visiting
Baku said during his meeting with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
The Council of Europe is not capable of solving the Upper Garabagh
conflict but can act as a mediator, he said.

Afterwards, the parties discussed issues related to fulfillment
of Azerbaijan’s commitments to the CE and fighting international
terrorism.

In a meeting with Speaker Alasgarov the parties focused on the Garabagh
conflict and the Azerbaijani-CE relations. Alasgarov underlined that
Azerbaijan binds hopes with the Council of Europe with regard to the
conflict resolution.

Alasgarov emphasized that Azerbaijan has joined over 40 conventions
and passed 100 laws.

Peterson said in reply that adopting decisions does not mean fulfilling
commitments, as their execution is important. As for the Upper Garabagh
conflict, Peterson said he supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk
Group in this area.*

BSEC Parliamentary Assembly meets in Baku

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2004

The 24th two-day meeting of the Committee on Legal and Political
Issues of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Organization (PABSEC) started in Baku on Wednesday.
Representatives from all BSEC member states, except Armenia and
Moldova, participated in the meeting focusing on issues of stability
and security in the region.

In his opening remarks, head of the Bulgarian delegation Borislav
Ralchev said that security is a priority issue in the Black Sea
region and that the ongoing conflicts in the region affect external
developments. Ralchev pointed out the need for assistance in fighting
organized terrorism and maintaining regional peace and stability.
The Milli Majlis (parliament) Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov focused on the
problems caused by the conflicts ongoing in regions. He underlined that
terrorism poses a threat to the world community in the globalization
period and that the territory of Upper Garabagh has turned into an
uncontrolled zone and center of separatism and terrorism as a result
of Armenia’s policy of invasion.

“Every state that supports terrorism directly or indirectly must be
held accountable,” Alasgarov added.*

President, Norwegian FM discuss Azerbaijan-CE co-op

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2004

President Ilham Aliyev and Norwegian Foreign Minister, chairman of
the Council of Europe (CE) Ministerial Committee Ian Peterson visiting
Baku bilateral relations, the Azerbaijan-CE cooperation and the Upper
Garabagh conflict on Wednesday, the President’s Office said.

Aliyev emphasized the fair position of Azerbaijan which supports a
broad discussion of the conflict settlement.

“When we proposed to appoint the PACE rapporteur on Upper Garabagh,
Armenia opposed it, “which shows that this country is not interested in
conveying the essence of the conflict to the international community”,
he said.

President calls on Azerbaijani people to unite

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2004

President Ilham Aliyev returned home from his official visit to Romania
late on Tuesday. Aliyev told journalists at the Heydar Aliyev Airport
that he is satisfied with the results of the visit. “The documents
signed will be a favorable legal base for future cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Romania,” he stressed.

President Aliyev and his Romanian counterpart Ion Iliyesku discussed
the issue on settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Upper Garabagh. Aliyev regarded Iliyesku’s statement, “Romania backs
the solution of the conflict within the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan”, as very important.

President Aliyev recalled that several heads of state have issued
similar statements over the recent years.

“This once again shows that there should be no double standards. All
issues should be considered only under international legal norms and
certainly, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity should be restored. The
earlier Armenia understands this, the better.”

President Aliyev said that a mechanism should be set up for
implementation of the decisions passed by the UN and OSCE. Expressing
his disappointment with the fact that no sanctions have been imposed
on Armenia yet, Aliyev said: “The conflict can be settled soon if
international legal mechanisms are set up and applied.”

Commenting on a report on the Upper Garabagh conflict by Terry
Davis, the former rapporteur on Upper Garabagh of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), President Aliyev said it
was impartial and contained realities. The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
will be discussed at the PACE session in January, he noted.

Aliyev voiced his confidence that the report would confirm the
occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and emphasize the need
for imposing sanctions on Armenia.

The President stated that Azerbaijan calls on the Council of Europe
to give a political assessment of the conflict.

“We will achieve our goals when each Azerbaijani citizen – the
President, parliament members and the press, unite to denounce Armenia
as an aggressor,” he added.*

Institute for War and Peace Reporting
Oct 13 2004

ARMENIA: DUAL CITIZENSHIP DEBATE

Is a proposed relaxation of citizenship laws a benefit or a danger
for Armenia?

By Tigran Avetisian in Yerevan

With parliament soon likely to remove the clause from the Armenian
constitution banning dual citizenship, people here are debating
what its introduction would mean for the country and the millions of
Armenians worldwide.

The introduction of dual citizenship could potentially lead to a
radical change in the relationship between the Armenian state and the
millions of Armenians who live outside it, from Georgia and Russia
to the USA and Uruguay.

On different calculations, the official population of Armenia is no
more than three million, while between seven and ten million Armenians
live elsewhere in the world.

The issue of what sort of status diaspora Armenians should be given
has divided the country since it regained independence in 1991. The
constitution of 1995 explicitly outlawed the idea of dual citizenship
but the administration of Robert Kocharian, president since 1998,
is much warmer towards the concept.

Supporters of dual citizenship argue that its introduction would
enable the Armenian diaspora to render assistance more effectively,
increase foreign investment into the country and in bring expatriate
Armenians psychologically closer to their historical motherland.

Madlen Minasian, US citizen and director of communications for the
Kafeschian charity, said that dual citizenship would inspire many
diaspora Armenians like herself, who want to pay back a “debt to
the motherland”.

Minasian is not worried about the technical details of the arrangement,
saying “As for military service it is a fairly broad concept. This
issue should be sorted out by the authorities. People can pay their
debt to the homeland by working in the social or other spheres.

“The main thing in passing a law on dual citizenship is the inspiration
factor. Thanks to this, the majority of our compatriots living abroad
will make a contribution to developing the motherland.”

The nationalist Dashnaktsutiun party, which is a member of the
coalition presently in power in Armenia, is the strongest advocate
of the plan.

Dashnaktsutiun is one of the traditional Armenian parties, which was
established at the end of the nineteenth century outside Armenia and
remained active in the diaspora throughout the period of Soviet rule.

It was only able to start functioning again in 1991.

“The lifting of the prohibition on dual citizenship remains one of the
most important issues today in the draft of constitutional changes,”
Armen Rustamian, one of the leaders of Dashnaktsutiun, told IWPR.

Opponents of the idea say that it is fraught with unforeseen
consequences and could surrender sovereignty to people in other states.
Stepan Grigorian, spokesperson for Armat, a political science research
centre founded by former officials in the Ter-Petrosian administration,
warned, “Dual citizenship cannot be partial or half-and-half, as the
present government insists. This makes no sense. Citizenship means
having the right to vote and being elected and the danger of this, is

that as a result, the government of Armenia could be influenced
from abroad.”

Grigorian argued that by allowing dual citizenship, Armenia could
endanger some parts of the Armenian diaspora, “In Georgia, for example,
Armenians would come to be seen as a fifth column, as a potential
factor of instability.”

The analyst also pointed out that dual citizenship was only possible
where a bilateral agreement could be struck with another country. But

this can be problematic.

For example, Russia, which has probably the largest Armenian population
outside Armenia, allows dual citizenship, but President Vladimir
Putin suspended its effect in 2001.

“This is a very typical example,” said Grigorian, “Russia and
Turkmenistan have an agreement on dual citizenship, but it was quickly
suspended when problems arose in areas such as military service,
and the disclosure of and punishment for criminal offences.”

Tigran Torosian, pro-government deputy speaker of parliament, is
one of the strongest supporters of the plans and says that Armenians
should not be intimidated by them.

“Of course, this does not mean that an individual with dual citizenship
should have all the same rights as a citizen living in the Republic
of Armenia, particularly regarding the right to vote and the right
to be elected,” he said. Precise definitions should be codified by
additional changes to the constitution or by law, he added.

Political scientist, Vardan Pogosian, the deputy chair of the National
Democratic Party, proposes a flexible arrangement that sets residence
in Armenia as the primary criterion for receiving citizenship.

“Let the Armenian diaspora receive dual citizenship, but with regard
to political rights, those who do not permanently reside in Armenia
should be differentiated from those who do. For those who do decide
to live here and make Armenia their home, it would be simply immoral
to deprive them of their right to vote and be elected,” he said.

Pogosian said that this would have to be tightly controlled, “A
large number of Armenians live abroad. And if around 10 million
foreign Armenians were to receive full Armenian citizenship, then
this would mean that special restrictions would need to be imposed
during government elections. Eligibility to vote on the competence
of the government would apply only to residents of Armenia.”

Legal expert Hrair Tovmasian said he doubted that diaspora Armenian
businessmen would see their status change much under a change of law,
as they felt well protected already in Armenia and the authorities
tried to keep up good relations with them.

The exception, he said, is the right of property ownership, which
does not extend to foreigners.

Analyst Stepan Grigorian finally pointed out that dual citizenship is
a two-way process and will not work without reciprocal steps from other
countries. In the Armenian case this could lead to renewed emigration,
he warned.

“Even to suggest that we sign a dual citizenship agreement with some
country, it must be understood that it should not be asymmetrical,”
Grigorian said. “So, if a French citizen can become an Armenian
citizen as well, then an Armenian citizen should be able to become
a French citizen. Well, what do you think, in which direction would
the flow of people start to go then?’

Tigran Avetisian is a journalist with Aravot newspaper in Yerevan

ARMENIA REGISTERS JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

ArmenPress
Oct 13 2004

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian justice minister David
Harutunian said today that Jehovah’s Witnesses organization was
officially registered after it brought its statutes in line with
law requirements.

In response to fears that after registration the organization, viewed
by many Armenians with suspicion, will continue activities running
counter to law, the minister said registration is the first stage
and it does not give it right to breach laws. “If the organization
violates laws later all measures stipulated by legislation will be
applied against it,” he said. The minister said the organization had
been denied registration as its statutes and `forms of preaching’
were not in conformity with Armenia’s law on religious organizations.

The organization registration certificate was issued by the state
registry of legal entities on 8 October and was signed by the
deputy justice minister Tigran Mukuchian. The registration covers
the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ activity across the whole of the country.
Registering the Jehovah’s Witnesses was a key demand of the Council
of Europe.

ARMENIAN STUDENTS PROTEST AGAINST SENDING TROOPS TO IRAQ

ArmenPress
Oct 13 2004

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS: Some Armenian youth organizations
voiced today their protest against a decision to send a 50-member
non-combat platoon to Iraq to join US-led coalition forces for post-war
reconstruction of that country, saying it would pose a serious risk
to local Armenians. The protest was announced by Nikol Aghbalian
student organization, closely affiliated with Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, a member of the ruling coalition.

A statement issued by the organization says the news about sending an
Armenian contingent to Iraq has already spoiled relations between the
20,000- strong Armenian community and Arabs, though Armenia said it
would send to Iraq doctors, sappers and truck drivers. The statement
says Iraqis look at this decision as “treachery” of Armenians.

One of the leaders of the organization, who was present at an Armenian
youth gathering in Lebanon recently, said Armenian participants from
Iraq held that Arabs’ attitude towards local Armenians has changed.

“Armenia’s emergence in the US-led coalition puts at higher risks the
lives of Iraqi Armenians and draws the interest of Islamic terrorists
to Armenia,” the statement says. It was signed by representatives of
29 youth organizations, who will send it to the president.